


Love of His Later Life

by GillianInOz



Series: Sweet Work [5]
Category: Lewis - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 11:13:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12364521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GillianInOz/pseuds/GillianInOz
Summary: Robbie never really forgot how much younger than him James was, but he did sometimes have to be reminded how inexperienced James was when it came to relationships.





	Love of His Later Life

“You browned off about something?”

‘No, sir. Should I be browned off about something?”

Robbie cast an eye over his partner, who was standing with his legs spread wide, smoking in short furious puffs. “Well, there are only two times you call me ‘sir’ when we’re not working. One is in bed when you’re trying to make me randy, and the other one is when you’re browned off.” Robbie raised an eyebrow. “Did I do something to upset you?”

“I’m not upset.”

“We did say we were going to talk more,” Robbie reminded him. “Communicate.”

James drew hard on his cigarette and blew out a stream of smoke. “We have been communicating.” He looked at Robbie, his face blank. “It’s no big deal. Someone just said something that put me out of sorts, that’s all.”

Robbie nudged him with his shoulder. “Want me to go beat them up for you?”

“It was Laura Hobson,” James said dryly.

Robbie drew back in mock alarm. “I withdraw my offer. That woman could take me with one hand tied behind her back.”

“Yes, I think that’s the idea,” James muttered, flicking his cigarette away. 

“You what?” Robbie said, frowning down at the ground. “You know I hate it when you litter, James.”

“Sorry, I forgot,” James said, shoving his hands in his pockets and stalking off. 

With a sigh Robbie picked up the discarded cigarette butt and dropped it in a nearby bin. He leisurely followed along behind the love of his later life, fondly shaking his head at the stiff spine and shoulders. James was radiating bad temper, and at times like this it was just best to let him get it out of his system.

They walked along the bustling river bank, while joggers dodged around them, lovers sat holding hands on park benches, and rowers sculled leisurely by. Robbie didn’t worry too much, with those long legs James could have outstripped him easily, but he didn’t really try. Every now and then he stopped and loitered, hands in his pockets, gazing out at the river, waiting for Robbie to catch up, and then stalking ahead again.

Just as Robbie was starting to think they’d run out of river before James walked his temper off, the younger man found an empty park bench and flung himself down moodily, long legs thrust out in front of him.

He pulled out his cigarette packet and Robbie sat down next to him and reached into James’s other jacket pocket for the little portable ashtray he’d bought him on Valentines Day. It was an antique he’d found online, silver toned with a red enamel plate, the Cambridge lion in black and gold emblazoned on top. 

Robbie considered it one of his most successful gifts, as James had simultaneously smirked, grimaced and flushed with pleasure when he’d unwrapped it. Robbie flicked it open and pointedly laid it on the arm of the bench.

“So, not browned off then?” Robbie said amiably.

James heaved a sigh. “Perhaps slightly brown,” he conceded. 

“Care to tell me about it? What did Laura say anyway?”

“She didn’t mean anything by it, obviously,” James said. “I mean, when she asked me if I thought you were ready to date again, she couldn’t have known she was asking your lover if his lover was available.”

Robbie frowned, trying to work that out. “Laura asked you about my love life? Why would she do that? You think she fancies me?”

James turned incredulous eyes on him. “Are you joking?”

“What?” Robbie said defensively.

“Do I think she fancies you?” James repeated. “Of course she fancies you. She fancies you like mad, how can you not know that?”

Robbie stared at him. “Get away. I’ve known her for years, we’re mates, that’s all.”

“Oh, mating is definitely on her mind,” James said sarcastically. He was still frowning at Robbie as if he suspected he was being wound up. “Are you seriously telling me you didn’t know she had her eye on you?”

Robbie thought about it. “Well, she flirts a bit,” he said reflectively. “But then she’s always done that. She flirts with you too.”

James rolled his eyes.

“She does. She’s always saying things about how dishy you are, words to that effect. Nah, James, you’ve got the wrong end of the stick this time.”

James dotted out his cigarette and snapped the ashtray closed with a savage flick of the wrist. “How you can be the best detective I’ve ever worked with and still be so oblivious is beyond me,” he said, shaking his head in exasperation. 

“Well,” Robbie said. “That’s a double sided compliment.” He frowned, still taking it in. “So, what did you say to her?”

“I put on my poker face,” James said. “Told her that I’d be the last one to know if you were dating, blah blah.”

“Huh.” Robbie tucked his hands in his pockets and thrust his legs out, mimicking James’s pose. “So, Laura Hobson fancies me,” he mused. “Huh.”

“Well there’s no need for you to look so smug,” James said irritably. 

“Why shouldn’t I be smug? Two beautiful blondes panting after my old bones? That’s pretty flattering.”

“So you think she’s beautiful?” James pounced. 

“Don’t you?”

“Don’t change the subject. You think she’s beautiful,” James said, narrowing his eyes. 

Robbie considered it. “Yeah, she is.”

“Closer to your age too,” James persisted.

Robbie nodded. “A bit.”

“And you’ve known her a lot longer than you’ve known me.”

“A few years, yeah.” Robbie turned and looked at James, who was now sitting stiff backed, his arms folded defensively across his chest. “Is there a point to this?”

“You tell me,” James said. “You’re the one singing her praises.”

Robbie really wanted to laugh, but he’d been married enough years to know that laughter at this point would probably get him a thick ear, or at the very least a cold bed tonight. He never really forgot how much younger than him James was, but he did sometimes have to be reminded how inexperienced James was when it came to relationships. 

“I’ll go see her tomorrow, have a word with her,” Robbie said and James swung on him, eyes hot. 

“Oh, you will, will you?” Then he frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I’ll have a word with her. She’s a friend, and she can be discreet.”

James was blinking at him in confusion. 

“I’ll tell her that you and I are together,” Robbie said. “Take her into our confidence.”

James still just stared at him. 

“If it’s all right with you, of course,” Robbie prompted.

“You’d do that?” James said, looking stunned. “Tell her about us?”

“Why not? I’d tell everybody if I could. If it weren’t for the fact that Innocent would split up our partnership – if not just sack me outright – I’d tell the whole world.” Robbie smiled at him gently. “And then you’d really see my smug face.”

James finally closed his mouth. “Really?” he said weakly. “You would?”

“When you’re promoted and I’ve retired,” Robbie said. “We’ll go public. Can you picture their faces?” He chuckled and patted James on the knee. “You don’t think I’m ashamed of us, do you?”

“Well, no,” James said, his voice still a bit thready. “No, of course not.”

“The world’s changed,” Robbie said, looking out at the slowly moving river. “And a good thing too. When I was a lad, and just starting to realise that I thought Paul McCartney was as shaggable as Dusty Springfield, a bloke could get the shite kicked out of him just for being who he was.”

James turned a little on the seat, tilting his head curiously. Robbie smiled at him gently. “Didn’t stop me trying out a little bit of everything though,” he said, wistfully.

“Misspent youth,” James recalled, flushing a little. 

“Aye.”

“So you had a boyfriend?” James asked.

Robbie rubbed a bit ruefully at his neck. “I had… encounters,” he said. “Boyfriends weren’t really an option. Maybe if I’d found a man I could love, maybe my life would have gone in a different direction. Faithful sort, me,” he said, shooting a meaningful glance at James, who had the grace to look a bit ashamed. 

“But as it turned out the first great love of my life was a gorgeous brunette called Valerie.”

James’s face softened. “I know,” he said quietly. 

“When I lost her.” Robbie rubbed his chest, feeling that ache at the memory. Although it was more the echo of an ache now, after all these years. “When I lost her, I thought that part of my life was over. That I’d never feel that way about anyone again.”

James nodded soberly. “I know.”

“And then I fell in love with you,” Robbie said.

“I know,” James said again, a bit more softly, a pink flush on his cheeks.

“Don’t say it enough, I reckon,” Robbie said. “If you really think I’d go running off after the first pretty lass who fancied me.”

“I didn’t think that,” James said, a bit defensively. “It just put me out of sorts, that’s all. To have to listen to her pumping me for information about your love life and not be able to tell her that I’m your love life.”

“I suppose I can understand that,” Robbie said. “Do you want to come out of the closet? Tell the world and damn the consequences?”

“Not if it means we can’t work together any more.”

“That’s what it would mean.”

“Then no,” James said. “Not yet.”

“But I can tell Laura? Or do you want us to do it together?”

“Oh, no,” James said. He looked a little discomforted. “What if she cries?”

Robbie laughed. “You don’t know Laura very well if you think that.”

“Says the man who didn’t even know she fancied him.”

888

Robbie spotted Laura sitting in her little office, typing away at a laptop. He popped his head around the corner. “I know it’s short notice, but do you fancy a drink?”

She looked up with a smile. “Sounds good.”

They strolled to a nearby pub, chatting about work and the weather, and Laura headed for a bench in the shade while Robbie fetched the drinks. He laid the sweating glasses on the table and slid in opposite her. 

“Thanks for coming,” he said. “There’s something I need to talk about with you, and I think now might be the time.”

Laura sipped her half. “Oh yes?”

“I was talking to James,” Robbie said. “And he mentioned what you asked him last night.”

“He never did?” Laura said in disbelief. “What a blabbermouth!” 

“He wasn’t gossiping, he was just a bit upset, that’s all.” Robbie rubbed his ear nervously. “You see, Laura, James and I are in a relationship. Have been for more than a year now.”

Laura laughed. “You what?” She blinked as Robbie just gazed at her. “Is this a windup?”

“No, it’s not a wind up.”

“You and James?”

“Yep.”

“But he’s your sergeant,” she said incredulously.

“I know.”

“He’s twenty five years younger than you!”

“Give or take,” Robbie said, then shrugged under her gimlet stare. “All right, yes. Twenty five years.”

She looked at him for long moments and he met her gaze. “You’re serious,” she finally realised. 

“Obviously it’s all a bit hush hush at the moment. We want to keep working together, and that would be out of the question if our relationship went public.”

“To say the least,” Laura retorted. 

“And while we both agree it’s best kept to ourselves for now, it’s not always easy, especially for James.”

Laura’s incredulous expression softened a bit. “I can imagine,” she said. “And I suppose me letting him know I fancied you didn’t exactly put a shine on his day.”

“He’s never really been in a serious relationship,” Robbie said. “And, well, I don’t want to break any confidences, but with his background it wasn’t easy for him to accept being gay.”

“That’s right, he was going to be a priest, wasn’t he?” Laura recalled. “God, can you see him in a cassock and Roman collar? Talk about hot.”

“Laura,” Robbie chided. “I’m trying to be serious here.”

“So am I,” Laura said. “Be fair, Robbie. I was just starting to wonder if you and I could get together, and now I find out that not only are you off the market, but you’ve taken the only other really gorgeous guy in the nick with you.”

“I told James you fancied him more than me,” Robbie said dryly. 

“There’s fancy and then there’s fantasy,” Laura said archly. “And while I quite fancied you and me keeping each other company now and then, James Hathaway in a cassock and surplice is the stuff of wet dreams.”

“Please don’t say anything like that to him,” Robbie pleaded, only half joking. 

“I wouldn’t, Robbie. But I reserve the right to think it.”

“Now you’ve got me thinking it too,” Robbie muttered. “Thanks for that.”

Laura snorted and then started laughing, her hand over her mouth. 

Robbie shook his head. “You’re incorrigible, you are.”

Laura just smirked at him, still chuckling a little. “Well, if I had to see you with a beautiful young blonde,” she said. “I’m glad it’s one I like at least.” She sobered a bit. “Are you happy, Robbie?”

Robbie smiled. “Aye.”

She squeezed his arm. “I’m glad. You deserve it. Is James happy?”

“I think so. Yes,” he said more firmly. “But he can be a bit inscrutable, can our James.”

“And you’re not worried about problems at work? Jean Innocent may be your boss, but technically James has to answer to you.”

“We’ve had a few ups and downs,” Robbie said discreetly. “It’s more the age difference that worries me,” he said, and then frowned. He hadn’t meant to say that, hadn’t even realised he was thinking about it.

“You being older than him, or him being younger than you?” Laura asked shrewdly. 

“Both,” Robbie said. “Sorry, I’m sure you don’t want to talk about any of this.”

“Are you kidding?” Laura raised her eyebrows. “Best goss I’ve been privy to in ages.” Now she grinned. “It’s all right, you know. I haven’t been secretly pining for you over the years.”

Robbie smirked back at her. “I never thought you were.”

“It’s just lately I had the feeling you were, well. Moving on,” she said carefully.

“I was,” Robbie said. “I am.”

“And that got me thinking about how much I enjoy your company.” 

“It’s mutual,” Robbie said, patting her hand. “No reason why we can’t still see each other. All of us. To tell you the truth, I think you and James would have more in common when it comes to operas and art shows than you and I have.”

“You underestimate yourself, as always,” Laura murmured. “And don’t think I didn’t notice you trying to change the subject. You can talk to me, Robbie,” she said gently. “It can’t only be James feeling a bit isolated with the pair of you so deep in the closet.” 

“I suppose,” Robbie admitted. “I say James has never been in a relationship before, but in a way it’s harder for me having been in one for so long.”

“A relationship where you could be completely open,” Laura said sympathetically.

“Aye,” Robbie said nostalgically. “Where I didn’t have to check myself if I wanted to hold hands, or kiss goodbye, or just call him pet.”

“Aw,” Laura said. “Pet. That’s adorable.”

“Get away,” Robbie chided. “I shouldn’t be talking like this. James would hate to think I was discussing him.”

‘With anyone, or just with me? Ooh,” she said, eyes twinkling. “I’m the other woman!”

And surveying her pixie smile and bright, shining eyes, Robbie thought that she very easily could be. If he wasn’t the faithful type he’d assured James he was, or if he hadn’t given in to his insane urge to seduce his pretty sergeant and then fallen in love with the awkward sod, then Laura definitely could be a temptation.

Best keep that little gem to himself, Robbie thought. 

“Is working together so important then?”

“It is,” Robbie confirmed. “For both of us.”

“Well, you know you can always be yourselves around me. How about you both come to dinner on Saturday? You can hold hands and call each pet all night, if you like. In fact,” she said thoughtfully. “I might make that a condition of entry. I get to see you two all lovey dovey.” Her eyes glazed over the little at the thought. “Oh, heretofore unknown kink rearing its head. Hmm.”

“Stop that,” Robbie ordered, snorting a laugh. “I think it was safer when you were fantasising about the priest thing.”

“Two kinks,” Laura said gleefully. She chuckled as she patted his hand. “Seriously, though. My place is now a designated safe space for you two. And if you ever want to talk, about anything. The price is a drink.”

“Thanks, Laura. You’re a mate.”

Laura sighed, a little wistfully. “I suppose that will have to do.” 

888

“So, how did it go?” James said, looking up from the magazine he’d been flipping through. “What did she say?”

“She fainted,” Robbie said, tossing his keys in the basket by the door. He lifted one brow and inwardly counted to five before James realised he was joking and closed his gaping mouth. “Got you,” he grinned.

“I don’t know why I bother,” James grumbled, snapping the pages of his magazine and pointedly going back to reading it.

Robbie fetched two beers from the fridge and sat down next to James, deliberately crowding him against the arm of the couch.

“She was fine,” Robbie said, holding out one beer. “It’s Laura. After she was convinced I wasn’t winding her up, and she’d pointed out all the reasons we couldn’t possibly be in a relationship, she was really very supportive.”

“What reasons?” James said, twisting the beer cap off.

Robbie eyed him as he took a swig of his own beer. “Really?”

James shrugged. “Other than work, I don’t see a problem.”

“Well, if you don’t see any other problems, neither do I,” Robbie said, nudging him. “Other than Laura indulging in a few sexual innuendos, I think it all went rather well.”

“What innuendos?” James asked, and then instantly backtracked. “No, don’t tell me. I have to look the woman in the eye at work.” 

He applied himself to his beer and Robbie picked the magazine off his lap and started looking through it. At first glance it was all about local bands, but there were a few interesting pub reviews as well, and Robbie was just getting absorbed when James slammed his beer down on the side table.

“All right,” he said. “Tell me. What sexual innuendos?”

“Oh, just one where she was fantasising about you in a cassock,” Robbie said casually. He managed to get the rest of the review read in the ensuing minutes of utter speechlessness from James.

“You’re just teasing me again, aren’t you?” James asked weakly, at last.

“Course I am,” Robbie lied, and James released his breath and slumped. Robbie tossed the magazine aside and put his own beer on the coffee table. “Now, if we’re finished talking about other people, can we make out for a while?”

James looked at him for a few seconds. “All right,” he said, and he wrapped his arms around him and swooped in for a kiss.

“Hmm,” Robbie sighed, when his lips were finally free. “That’s more like it.”

“Hmm,” James agreed, going in for another deep kiss. A minute later he drew back. “You’re not thinking about whatever it was Laura said, are you?” he panted.

“No,” Robbie lied again, and James looked at him suspiciously. Robbie distracted him by attacking his sensitive neck, and James threw his head back and moaned.

Robbie anointed his throat with a suckling kiss, hands busy sliding up and under James’s shirt. What was the harm in one or two little white lies in a good cause, he thought. 

_‘Bless me father, for I have sinned…’_


End file.
